Because almost exactly a year ago, Van Dijk was seen wearing a Manchester City shirt!

In an Instagram post from the former Saints defender Jose Fonte - who is these days at West Ham - on Christmas Eve last year, the squad were all seen wearing their Secret Santa gifts.

And in amongst a wide variety of weird and wonderful outfits stands Van Dijk, who had been given a City shirt as a gag gift.

You can't miss Big Virgil in his City kit (Image: f6nte/Instagram)

The Dutchman - who had just been linked with a switch to the Etihad - was going along with the joke in the light-hearted way it was intended, but the image is sure to make City fans wonder what might have been.

Pep Guardiola's men are running away with the Premier League title, but injuries to centre-backs Vincent Kompany and John Stones have led many to claim that City could be on the lookout for a centre-back in the January window.

Having been linked with a move for Van Dijk in this window, Guardiola will now be forced to turn his attentions elsewhere.